Improvement in ballot-boxes



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.,

W. L. BARNES. Ballot-Box.

No. 208,951. Patented Oct. 15,1878.

V//// ATTORNEYS.

-FETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHEH. WASHmGTON, u c

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. L. BARNES.

Ballot-Box.

No. 208,951. Patented Oct. I5,1878.

7? j% MAI WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

% d I BY l/W MV ATTORNEYS.

N.F/ETEES, PHOTOUTNOGRANER WASMNGTQN. D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

\VILLIS L. BARNES, OF OHARLESTOIVN, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BALLOT-BOXES.

c 'lispecification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,951, dated October 15, 1979; application filed August 1, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TILLIS L. BARNES, of Gharlestown, in the county of Clark and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ballot-Boxes, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a top view of my improvedballot-box, the register-box being shown in section. Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is a vertical section of the same taken through the line a .r, Fig. 1. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is a view of the inner side of the cover and its attachments. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a section of the ballot-box taken through the brokenline 3 y, Fi 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish an improved ballot-box, which shall be so constructed that the mechanism can be operated only when a ballot has been placed upon the receiving-fingers, and, when operated, will de posit the ballot in the box, close the box, register the ballot, and sound an alarm.

The invention will first be described in connection with the drawing, and then pointed out in the claims.

A represents the body of the box, which is made in the form of a square, and may be of any desired or convenient depth. 13 is the cover, which is made with flanges upon its edges to overlap the sides of the box A. In the angles between the flanges and body of the cover are placed connecting-bars (3, which are made enough shorter than the said cover to allow them to have a short longitudinal movement. The connecting-bars O are kept in place by the square blocks E, secured to the cover B near its angles, and by the rightangled levers D, which are pivoted at their angles to the blocks E, with their arms in notches in the lower sides of the said bars C, so that all four bars will move together.

To the inner sides of the forward ends of the bars 0 are attached hook bolts E, which, when the said bars are thrown forward, enter sockets in the sides of the box A, and thus lock the cover 13 in place. The bars 0 are moved forward and back to lock and unlock the cover B by a key passed through a keyhole in one side of the box A, and entering a slot in one of the bars 0.

In a recess in the lower side of the cover B slides abox, G, which is supported in place by half-keepers H, attached to the said cover 1 and which is made with open top and ends. The rearward movement of the box G is limited by its rear end striking against the side of the box A, and its forward movement is limited by an arm, I, formed upon or attached to it, striking against a stop, J, attached to the cover B.

The box G is thrown and held forward by aspring, K, attached to the under side of the cover B, and the free end of which rests against a shoulder formed upon the side of the said box G, which shoulder may be the rear end of the arm I. I11 the upper partof the sliding box G is placed a plate, L, the rear end of which is pivoted to and between the rear upper parts of the sides of the said box G.

The plate L is held up in a horizontal position by a coiled spring, M, interposed between it and the bottom of the box G, and which is kept in place by a stud or pin attached to the said plate L and by a recess in the bottom of the said box G, in which its lower end rests. The forward end of the plate L crosses a'hole in the middle part of the cover I and is slotted to form fingers N, which serve as a platform to receive the ballot.

Upon the'upper side of the rear ends of the fingers N is formed a shoulder, O, which rests against the edge of the cover I at the rear side of the hole through it, so that the box G cannot be pushed back until the fingers N have been pushed down to free the shoulder 0 from the edge of the cover I I is a follower, which moves up and down between arm Q, attached to a bracket, It, so cured to the top of the cover 13, in such a position that the lower end of the said follower may enter the hole in the cover 11. The to]- lower 17 is raised and held up by a coiled spring, S, attached to the bracket It, and connccted with the said follower I. The upward movement of the follower I is limited by a stop-pin, T, attached to the bracket It, and against which a shoulder of the said follower 1 strikes.

The upper end of the follower l is rounded off, or has a knob attached to it, for convenience in operating it. The lower part of the follower has slots formed in it equal in number to the number of fingers N, and in such positions that the said slots may be directly above the said fingers N, and the strips U between the said slots may be directly over the spaces between the said fingers N.

The forward lower parts of the strips U, except the side ones, are out off at right angles with their length, leaving fingers V, which pass down through the spaces between the fingers N, to serve as guards to prevent the ballot from being drawn back by the friction of the said fingers N while being withdrawn from beneath it.

Upon the lower part of the outer side of one of the side strips U is formed an inclined shoulder, a upon which rests a spring, the upper end of which is attached to the rear edge of the said strip.

In the outer side of the side strip U, at the upper end of the inclined shoulder a, is formed a cross-groove, In the outer side of the side strip U, along its forward edge, from the forward end of the groove a to the lower end of the said strip, is formed a rabbet, a. The end of the spring XV projects a little beyond the shoulder of the rabbet a lVith this construction, when a ballot has been laid upon the fingers N and the followor P is pressed down, the lower ends of the short intermediate strips U will strike against the said ballot, and the resistance will be sufficient to force down the fin ge'rs N so far as to free their shoulders 0 from the edge of the cover B. At the same time the inclined spring V will strike against a pin, X, attached to the side of the arm I, and will force back the box G, withdrawing the fingers N and allowing the ballot to drop into the box A. As the pin Xreaches the upper end of the shoulder a it enters the groove and moves forward through the said groove as the box G and fingers N are forced forward to their places by the spring 7;. \Vhen the press ure is removed from the follower P the said follower is raised by the coiled spring S, the pin X passing along the rabbet a and forcing back and passing the end of the inclined spring W.

To the side edge of the rear end of the plate L is attached a pin Y, which, as the box G and fingers N are forced back, moves back through a groove in the cover B, and which, when the said box and fingers are thrown forward by the spring K, strikes against the lever-hammer Z and forces it against the gong A to give an alarm.

To the top of the cover B is attached abox, B, to the ends of which are attached the ends of a shaft, 0, upon which are placed two, three, or more wheels, D. Between and at the outer sides of the wheels D are placed sheet-metal plates E, to prevent one of the said wheels from being turned by friction when turning another, and at the same time allow thewheels to be readily turned by hand to set them.

The wheels D are pressed together and against the plates E with sufficient force to keep them in place by a spiral spring, F, one end of which rests against the end of the-box B, and its other end rests against the side plate E.

Around the middle part of the faces of the wheels D are placed the nine digits and the zero, in their regular order, which figures are seen through a glass plate, G, secured in a slot in the forward side of the box B.

Along one edge of each of the wheels D are formed ten notches or teeth to receive the pawls H, by which the said wheels D are turned. Upon the other edges of the wheels D are formed single notches or teeth, in such positions that the pawls H may drop into them when the numeral 9 of each leadingwheel comes opposite the glass plate G, so that at the next descent of the follower P the two wheels may move on together for the space of one notch. During the remaining part of the revolution the pawls H, except the leading one, slide upon the smooth faces of the wheels D.

Any desired number of wheels D and pawls H may be used, according to the number of votes to be cast at the polling-place.

The pawls H are hung upon a rod,I, which passes across the rear upper parts of the wheels D, is bent inward and outward into crank form, and is pivoted to the ends of the register-box B, near the shaft 0. At the outer side of the inner end of the numeral-box B the crank-lever I is bent forward, and pro jects into such a position as to be struck and operated to move the wheels D forward one notch by a pin, J, attached to the side of the follower P in such a position that it will not strike the crank-lever I to move the wheels D unless the said follower has made a full stroke, and this it can only do when a ballot has been passed into the box A.

To the under side of the coverB is attached a spring, K, which rests against the forward side of the lever-hammer Z, and is madeot' sufficient strength to prevent an alarm from being given unless the mechanism has been fully operated to deposit a ballot in the box A.

Having thus described myinvention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of the sliding box G, provided with the spring K, the arm I, and the pin X, the hinged plate L, provided with the spring M, the fingers N, and the shoulders 0, and the follower P, provided with the spring S, the strips U, the fingers V, the spring V, and the inclined shoulder a, the cross-groove u", and the rabbet a with each other and with the cover B of the box A, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination of the gong A, the lever-hammer Z, and the pin Y with the sliding box G, the hinged plate L, provided with the fingers N, and the follower P, carrying strips U, substantially as herein shown and described.

WILLIS LAMBERT BARNES.

Witnesses:

Drox MoGrLL, SAMUEL TI. McGoNNreAL. 

